Machine for wrapping pipes



1,. HAMLIN MACHINE FOR WRA1P ING 'PIPES Feb. 20, 194-0.

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 24, 1936 w R .wm a my m ML mv Wm 7 mm m 3 /J a 9 .J 0

Feb. 20, 1940. M. HAMLIN 2,

' MACHINE FOR WRKP-PING PIPES I Filed Jan. 24, 1936- 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IINVENTOR Mar; fo/r A Ham/In Feb. 20, 1940. M. H AMLIN MACHINE FOR WRAgPIflG PIPES Filed Jan. 24, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 3Q INVENTOR V Mam-fan L. flaml/h ZAM ATToNE Y Feb. 20, 1940,

M. L1HAML1N 2,191,316

MACHINE FOR WRAPPING PIPES Filed Jan. 24, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 BY I 1 1 v M I ATTORNEY which during the wrapping operation is support- Patented Feb. 20, 1940 PATENT orries I 2,191,316 MACHINE FOR WRAPPING'PIPES Marston L. Hamlin, Lynbrook, N. Y., assignor to The Barrett Company, New York, N. Y., a cor-. porationt of New Jersey ApplicationJa-nuary 24, 1936', .Serial No. 60,580

9 Claims. (Cl. 242-11) This invention relates to pipe-wrapping machines and more particularly to pipe-wrapping machines of the type adapted to move relatively to the pipe and to apply spiral bands of wrapping material thereto.

It is an object of this invention to provide a mobile pipe-wrapping machine for Wrapping pipes under the difiicultv conditions ordinarily encountered along the routes lover which underground pipe lines are laid. A further object of the invention is to provide a wrapping device ed independently of, the pipe and does not travel on the pipe as in thecase of pipe-wrapping machines now employed for wrapping pipe which in operation frequently tend toinjure or deform the protecting coating or enamel applied to the pipe sections prior to the wrapping operation.

As the Weight of the wrapping machine of my invention is not on the pipe during the wrapping, my machine in operation will not injure or deform the protective coating on the pipe.

In accordance withthe invention a movable track ormonorail is supported above the pipe in a position generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pipe. A supporting frame suspended from and mounted for longitudinal movement along the monorail carries a wrapping frame provided with spindles for rotatably supporting rolls of wrapping material to be applied to the pipe.

The wrapping frame may surround the pipe androtatably mounted with respect to the supporting frame and pipe, or the wrapping frame,

be mounted for longitudinal movement only, in which case the pipe is arranged to be rotated to draw the wrapping material from the wrapping frame thereabout. The supporting and Wrapping frames progress along the monorail during the wrapping operation to apply the wrapping material in overlapping spirals. Power driven means, for example, a motor and gearing advantageously be employed for effecting positive rotation of the wrapping frame in the modification where the wrapping frame is rotated, and for effecting positive longitudinal move-. nient of the supporting and wrapping frames in all modifications. The monorail or supporting may be of a len th to permit travel of the 1 oping frame therealong to wrap'any desired section of pipe or pipe line. It may be supported on a derrick or en rolls or other movable means s ction of pipe line to wrap the same.

so that it may readily be moved from section to The mounting for the monorail may be such that during movement from section'to section the Prior to commencement 3 are such that it would be difficult to moveother machines along the pipe line.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view in side elevation ofone form of my wrapping device; i

Fig. 2 is an end View of Fig. 1 showing one method of supporting the monorail above the Fig. 3 is an end view showing'another method of supporting the monorail;

Fig. 4' is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a. modification in which. caterpillar treads are employed for transporting the monorail. along the pipe; 1 e

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic View in side elevation illustrating amo'dified form of my invention;

Fig. 6 is an enlargedfragmentary view in side elevation of a portion'of, the machine shown in Fig 1;

Fig. 7 is a plan viewof 'the structure shown in Fig. 6 parts being broken away for purposes of better illustration;

Fig. 8 is an end view taken in the direction of the arrow Bof Fig. 6, the monorail and pipe being shown in section;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary View in side elevation showing a preferred form of my invention;'

Fig. 10 is an end View taken in the direction of the arrow "1- of Fig. 9, the monorail being shown in section; I

Fig. 11 is an end elevation of a further modi-' fled form of a wrapping device; and

Fig. 12 is a view in side elevation of the device shown inFig. 11.

, Referring more particularly to the drawings there is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 a pipe l to be Wrapped supported by cross bars 2, 2 above a trench into which the wrapped pipe is to be laid. A monorail is supported above the pipe in substantial parallelism therewith by any suitable means which may include a plurality of sets of extensible jacks 4'resting on the cross bars 2 and supporting on their upper ends cross bars 5, 5. The monorail 3 may advantageously be of I- beam constructionand .made of an aluminum alloyso that it is light and can readily be moved. Preferably the other parts of the apparatus are also made of aluminum alloy so that the complete machine is durable and light in weight, facilitating movement thereof. Chains and strops 9a, slung under the pipe and secured to the ends of the rail 3, may be brought up taut by means of the jacks 4 and. serve to effect proper distancin of the rail from the Dine.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3 each side of supporting rail 3 is provided with a track 1. Rigidly secured to and depending downwardly from each end of the monorail are roll-carrying supports 9 having rotatably mounted on their lower ends set of rollers IQ for a purpose to be described hereinafter; these rollers are advantageously rubber-tired.

Suspended from the monorail 3 and arranged to travel on the track portions '8 thereof is a supporting frame designated generally by refer ence numeral 12 (illustrated more in detail in Figs. 6 and 8). Supporting frame l2 may advantageously include two sets of diverging arms l3, M (Fig. 8) connected rigidly together at their lower ends and having two sets of rollers Iii, i1 journalled in their upper ends. The rollers [55, I1 engage the tracks I of the monorail and support the frame 12 for rolling movement longitudinally therealong. Journalled in the lower portion of the frame l2 are two sets of rollers IS, I 9 and 29, 20 for rotatably supporting a generally cylindrical wrapping frame designated as a whole by reference numeral 22. The. cylindrical frame preferably includes end members 23, 24 of circular contour, each of which may be constituted of two or more segments separably bolted or hinged together as indicated at 25. Each of the circular end members is provided with inwardly extending flanges 2T, 28 for receiving therebetween rollers I9, 20 which rotatably support the wrapping frame on the supporting frame l2. The end members of the wrapping frame are preferably rigidly connected by cross bar 30. Roll carrying arms (see Fig. 7), each constituted of two relatively adjustable members 32, 34 are pivoted on cross bars 30 between collars 35 secured to the cross bars. Adjustment of the members 34 with respect to the members 32 to adjust the inclination of the axes of the rolls of wrapping material 36 with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pipe may be accomplished by bolt and slot connections 37. Springs 39 (see Fig. 8) connected to the roll carrying arms and to any suitable portion of the wrapping frame may be employed for urging the rolls of wrapping material into engagement with the pipe.

In Fig. 3 is illustrated an arrangement of jacks for supporting the monorail which may be employed when, due to irregularities of the terrain over which the pipe line is laid, or for other reasons, it is inconvenient to employ the cross pieces 5 (see Fig. 1). In the arrangement of Fig. 3 the upper sets of cross bars are dispensed with and the heads of the extensible jacks 4 directly engage opposite sides of the monorail l to maintain the same in position above the pipe.

The operation of the wrapping device may be briefly described as follows:

The pipe is preferably supported above the trench into which it is to be laid by means of cross bars 2, and, if desired, secured against lateral movements by chocks 4|. Thereafter the jacks may be positioned upon the cross bars on opposite sides of the pipe, the cross bars 5 placed on the upper ends of the jacks and the monorail. positioned on the latter cross bars. The jacks are extended to bring the rail home against the pull of the strops 9a, thus supporting the monorail, by

means of cross bars 5, a fixed distance above the pipe so that the rollers Ill do not rest on the pipe. The segments of the wrapping frame 22 are then placed about the pipe in engagement with the rollers l8, 2% of the supporting frame and are then secured together by the fastening means 25.

The frames l2 and 22 are rolled along the tracks 1 to a position adjacent one end of the monorail, for example, the left end of the monorail when the wrapping operation proceeds from left to right as illustrated in Fig. 1, and the wrapping material from rolls 36 is started manually around the pipe. The wrapping frame 22 is then rotated about the pipe and rollers 59, 2E; and, due to the inclination of the axes of the rolls of wrapping material bearing upon the pipe, progresses longitudinally of the pipe and of the monorail until it reaches a position adjacent the righthand end of the latter. This operation results in wrapping the section of pipe of a length corresponding substantially to the length of the monorail be tween the cross bars 2.

Thereafter the jacks are lowered until the rollers Ill contact with the pipe and support the monorail thereon. The operator then rolls the monorail along the top of the pipe until the left hand set of rollers It arrives at a. position adjacent the unwrapped portion of the pipe. It will be appreciated that the supporting frame l2 and rotatable wrapping frame 22 may remain stationary and, if necessary, be independently supported, during movement of the monorail. The jack and cross bars at the left of Fig. 1 may then be carried forward and placed in position to support the right hand end of the monorail, after which another length of the pipe may be wrapped. The position of the jack at the right of Fig. 1 need not be changed during this movement of the monorail except for the adjustment thereof hereinabove described, to support the monorail so that during the wrapping operation it does not rest on the pipe. Thus, the monorail may be readily transported along the pipe and the pipe wrapped step-by-step, only one set of jacks being moved for each movement of the monorail.

It will be appreciated that by supporting the monorail so that the rollers ill do not engage the pipe during the wrapping operation any tendency of the rollers to injure the wrapping material on the wrapped portion of the pipe or the enamel applied before wrapping, is avoided. In the case of wrapping machines now employed in which the weight of the machine during the wrapping operation is carried by the pipe, the vibration and pressure resulting from rotation of the wrapping machine tend to injure or distort the wrapping material or coating on the pipe especially in hot weather.

Fig. 4 illustrates a modification of the construction of Fig. 1 in which flexible belt caterpillar members 38 running on rollers 39 are employed in lieu of rollers IE1 for supporting the monorail during travel of the latter along the pipe. The support of the rollers may be pivoted about a horizontal transverse axis to permit the tread to accommodate itself to irregularities. The forward portions of the flexible belts, it will be noted, are inclined in the drawings so that they extend upwardly above the surface of the pipe. while the rearmost portionsof the belt rest upon the pipe. This construction may be advantageously employed where the pipe sections are connected by relatively large couplers of the type illustrated in Fig. 5 (e. g. the well-known Dresser couplers) to facilitate movement of the monorail over such In Fig. there is illustrated a modified form of.

supporting arrangement for the monorail in which a tractor All, which may be of the wellknown caterpillar type, provided with a boom 4| supports the monorail 452 by means of pulleys M and cables 43. The tractor 4!! may be provided with power means for operating the cables 43 to adjust the monorail in any desired position above the pipe. Such tractors are Well known and hence require no further description. I

Each end of the monorail 42 may be provided with a chain sling 45 and chafing gear M adapted to extend under the pipe and connected to the ends of the monorail for maintaining the monopipe. The supporting and wrapping frame suspended from the monorail may be similarin'c'onstruction to that illustrated in Figs. 1, 6, '7 and 8 and hence requires no further description.

It will be noted that the pipe of Fig. 4 is illustrated as having a long gradual curve. caused by opening a portion of a trench in which a pipe line is laid and flexing the exposed portion of the pipe line upwardly without uncoupling the pipe sections, to expose a section of the pipe line to be'wrapped. It will be evident the machine of Fig. 5 can be expeditiously employed to raise and wrap contiguous sections of pipelines, materially reducing the labor involved in exposing and conditioning the pipe line for the wrapping operation. I v

In operation of the device of Fig. 5 the caterpillar tractor may be located so that the left end of monorail is adjacent the portion of the pipe at which it is desired to initiate the wrapping operation. The wrapping material is then manually started around the pipe and the wrapping frame rotated and progressed alongthe rail and pipe until it arrives at a position adjacent the righthand sling 45. Thereupon the slings are disengaged from around the pipe and the tractor and monorail advanced until the left end of the 'monorail is again adjacent the wrapping frame rail and pipe, which may be employed in lieu of g the wrapping frame shown in Figs. 1, 4:, 6, 7 and 8.

The construction of Figs. 9 and includes a monorail t! which differs from the monorail of Fig. 1 chiefly in that it is provided on its lower side with a toothed rack 48. The supporting frame 49 includes an upper horizontal portion 5i! adapted to extend across the top of the monorail and downwardly extending sides 58, 52 having two sets of rollers 54 journalled therein for engaging and rolling upon the tracks 58 of the monorail. Sets of rollers 51, 5% for rotatably supporting the wrapping frame 53 are journalled adjacent the lower ends of the downwardly extending sides 5!, 52 of the supporting frame.

Power means for positively rotating and moving frame.

This is The 3 the wrapping frame 59 longitudinally along the pipe and monorail may include motor 6|, which may be an electric, air, gasoline or other motor,

mounted on the supporting frame 49. Motor 6| may be provided with a reduction gear Sla, the

,shaft of which carries a worm G2 engaging a worm gear (53 which drives shaftfid rotatably journalled in bearings 65 on the supporting Rigidly connected to the lower end of shaft 651 is a beveled gear t! which engages and drives a beveled gear 63 on shaft 69, rotatably mounted'in the sides of the supporting frame 49 beneath the monorail.-, Shaft 69 carries pinion Hi which engages 'teeth'of rack 48 on monorail ll and also carries a-spiral gear H which engages spiral gear l7! rigidly mounted on the'spindle of one of the wrapping frame supporting rollers 51.

Energization of the motor 6! effects rotation of the worm 62 which in turn drives shaft 64 and shaft 2.? carrying pinion gears W, H. action between pinion l0- and rack teeth 48 on monoraild'l causes positive movement of the supporting and wrapping frames along the monorail Y and pipe and the coaction between gear H and gear 72 effects positive rotation of one of the rotated and the wrapping frame is mounted for 5 longitudinal movement along the monorail but does not rotate around the pipe. Rotation of the pipe maybe accomplished by supporting the same on a plurality of sets of rollers 12, one or more of which may be driven by manually operated or power driven. means indicated diagrammatically at is.- Monorail M may be similar to the monorail hereinabove described in connection with Fig. l and has mounted for longitudinal movement therealong a frame provided with rollers 16 which run on tracks ll of the monorail. A roller Ilia, bearingagainst an upper flange of the monorail may be provided on one side or on each side of frame "iii to prevent tipping of the wrapping frame during the wrapping operation. Arms l8, l3 carrying-rolls of wrapping material 88 are .attachedto the frame by adjustable bolt and slot connections ill permitting adjustment of the axes of the rolls with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pipe.

In the operation of the wrapping device of Figs. 11 and 12 the pipe is rotated by power or manually. and'the bands of wrapping material are applied thereto in spirals from the rolls 19 as the frame '55 progresses along the monorail.

It will be seen that in accordance withthis invention I have provided a mobile pipe wrapping machine for readily applying wrapping material to pipes underthe difficult conditions frequently encountered along pipe line routes. The weight of the machine is supported from above and independently of the pipe during the wrapping operation, so that danger of injury to the pipe coating or "the wrapping material on the wrapped portion of. the pipe is minimized. The pipe may be employed as a track along which themachine is rolled between Wrapping operations. Since durin thefwrapping the weight of the machine isnot The co- Employing a machine provided with two rolls of wrapping material as shown in Fig. 5, a double layer may be applied to the pipe with the joints between contiguous spiral portions of one layer out of alignment with those of the other, thus producing an eficient protective covering for the pipe.

While I have shown two rolls of wrapping material carried by the machine, alternatively a greater mnnber may be used or only one, as desired. In the latter case, counter-balancing is desirable in the rotating types of machines.

While I have illustrated an I-beam as the form of monorail which I prefer to employ, it will be understood that other types of monorails are readily adaptable for practice of the invention. Thus for example the monorail may be constituted of channel or angle members disposed to form tracks on which rollers carried by a supporting frame may run. In this specification and appended claims the term monorail is employed in a broad sense to include these and equivalent constructions.

I claim:

1. A pipe-wrapping machine comprising, in combination, a monorail, means for supporting said rail above said pipe with its longitudinal axis extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said pipe, a supporting frame provided with rollers engaging said monorail whereby said frame is suspended from said monorail, a generally cylindrical frame rotatably suspended from said supporting frame, said wrapping frame surrounding said pipe and having mounted thereon a roll of wrapping material, and gearing connecting said cylindrical frame and said monorail whereby rotation of said cylindrical frame through said gearing effects positive movement of said supporting frame and said cylindrical frame along said monorail and pipe.

2. A pipe-wrapping device comprising, i1 combnation, a monorail provided with a track, means for supporting said monorail above said pipe with said track extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said pipe, means carried by said monorail adapted to support said rail on said pipe for movement therealong, a supporting frame provided with rollers engaging said track, a wrapping frame of general cylindrical shape rotatably supported by said supporting frame and adapted to surround said pipe, a power-driven shaft on said supporting frame, gear teeth on said monorail and gearing connecting said power-driven shaft with the gear teeth on said monora l and with said wrapping frame for positively propelling the supporting and wrapping frames along said pipe and for positively effecting rotation of the wrapping frame about the pipe.

3. A pipe-wrapping machine comprising, in comb nation, supporting means provided with a track adapted to be positioned above a pipe, a wrapping frame supported for movement along said track, a roll of wrapping material carried by said wrapping frame, with its axis inclined to the longitudinal axis of said pipe, means for resiliently pressing the periphery of said roll of wrapping material into contact with said pipe, and means for effecting relative rotation of said wrapping frame and said pipe to cause said wrapping material to be unwound from said roll and wrapped spirally about the pipe, said roll of wrapping material tending to cause said wrapping frame to progress along said track longitudinally of the pipe during the wrapping operation. 1

4. In a pipe-wrapping machine, in combination, a monorail provided with a track, roller supports extending from said monorail in angular relation thereto, and roller means mounted on said supports whereby said monorail may be rolled along the pipe to be wrapped.

5. A pipe-wrapping device comprising, in combination, a monorail provided with a track, means for supporting said monorail above said pipe with said track extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axi of said pipe, flexible belt means carried by said monorail adapted to support said rail on said pipe for movement therealong upon removal of said first named supporting means, a supporting frame provided with rollers engaging said track, a wrapping frame of generally cylindrical shape rotatably supported by said supporting frame and adapted to surround said pipe, 2. power-driven shaft on said supporting frame, gear teeth on said monorail, and gearing connecting said power-driven shaft with the gear teeth on said monorail and with said wrapping frame for positively propelling the supporting and wrapping frames along said pipe and for positively effecting rotation of .the wrapping I frame about the pipe.

6. A pipe-wrapping machine comprising, in combination, a monorail provided with a track, downwardly-extending supports adjacent each end of the monorail provided with means adapted to support said monorail for rolling movement along the pipe, extensible means for supporting said monorail above said pipe with said first named means out of engagement with the pipe, a Wrapping frame mounted for longitudinal movement along said monorail, and a roll of wrapping material mounted on said wrapping frame.

7. A pipe-wrapping machine comprising, in

combination, a monorail provided with a track,

downwardly-extending supports adjacent each end of the monorail provided with means adapted to support said monorail for rolling movement along the pipe, extensible means for supporting said monorail above said pipe with said first named means out of engagement with the pipe, a supporting frame mounted for rolling movement along said pipe, a wrapping frame adapted to surround said pipe, means carried by said supporting frame for rotatably mounting said wrapping frame, a roll of wrapping material mounted on said wrapping frame for revolution about the pipe, a power-driven shaft and gearing connecting said power-driven shaft with said monorail and with said wrapping frame for effecting positive movement of said supporting and wrapping frame along said monorail and pipe and for effecting positive rotation of said wrapping frame about said pipe.

8. In a pipe-wrapping machine, the combination comprising a monorail, gear teeth onsaid monorail, a track on said monorail, a supporting frame provided with rollers adapted to support said supporting frame for rolling movement along said monorail track, other rollers carried by said supporting frame, a wrapping frame rotatably mounted on said last named rollers, a motor mounted on said supporting frame, and gearing connecting said motor with the teeth on said monorail and with at least one of the rollers supporting said wrapping frame, whereby actuation of said motor results in the movement of said supporting frame and said wrapping frame along said monorail, and rotation of said wrapping frame upon its supporting rollers.

9. A machinefor wrapping coated pipes with out injury to the coating thereo'n'comprising in combination a monorail, means for "supporting said mono-rail substantially Vertically above the pipe with its longitudinal dimension extendingsubstantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pipe, a frame suspended from and adapted for movement along said monorail, a rollfof wrapping material carried. by said frame, means for efiectirig relative rotation of said frame and. saidfpipe to cause wrapping material to be un Wound from said roll and applied in overlapping spiral oonvolutions about the coated pipe and co-acting means on said monorail and said frame ,for effecting longitudinal m'ovement of the 

